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Qin Jiwei (; 16 November 1914 – 2 February 1997) was a general of the People's Republic of China, Minister of National Defense and a member of the
Chinese Communist Party The Communist Party of China (CPC), also translated into English as Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Founded in 1921, the CCP emerged victorious in the ...
Politburo A politburo () or political bureau is the highest organ of the central committee in communist parties. The term is also sometimes used to refer to similar organs in socialist and Islamist parties, such as the UK Labour Party's NEC or the Poli ...
. Qin Jiwei was born to a poor peasant family in Huang'an (now Hong'an), Hubei Province of China in November 1914.


Combat

Qin joined a Hebei guerrilla band after the failed Autumn Harvest Uprising, and spent his earliest years in the military under the leadership of Xu Haidong and
Xu Xiangqian Xu or XU may refer to: Surnames * Xu (surname 徐) ( ''Xú'') * Xu (surname 許) (/ ''Xǔ'') * Xu (surname 胥) ( ''Xū'') The Tone (linguistics), tones of these surnames are different in Mandarin, but if the tone diacritics are omitted then eac ...
, and alongside future generals Chen Zaidao and Xu Shiyou. After a series of setbacks, the unit Qin served in was redesignated the 31st Division, Red 11th Corps. The Fourth Front Army participated in the
Long March The Long March ( zh, s=长征, p=Chángzhēng, l=Long Expedition) was a military retreat by the Chinese Red Army and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from advancing Kuomintang forces during the Chinese Civil War, occurring between October 1934 and ...
as a separate unit from the main force under
Zhou Enlai Zhou Enlai ( zh, s=周恩来, p=Zhōu Ēnlái, w=Chou1 Ên1-lai2; 5 March 1898 – 8 January 1976) was a Chinese statesman, diplomat, and revolutionary who served as the first Premier of the People's Republic of China from September 1954 unti ...
and
Mao Zedong Mao Zedong pronounced ; traditionally Romanization of Chinese, romanised as Mao Tse-tung. (26December 18939September 1976) was a Chinese politician, revolutionary, and political theorist who founded the People's Republic of China (PRC) in ...
. At the close of the Long March,
Xu Xiangqian Xu or XU may refer to: Surnames * Xu (surname 徐) ( ''Xú'') * Xu (surname 許) (/ ''Xǔ'') * Xu (surname 胥) ( ''Xū'') The Tone (linguistics), tones of these surnames are different in Mandarin, but if the tone diacritics are omitted then eac ...
's Right Column (to which Qin, Chen Xilian and
Li Xiannian Li Xiannian (; 23 June 1909 – 21 June 1992) was a Chinese Chinese Communist Party, Communist military and political leader, president of China from 1983 to 1988 under paramount leader Deng Xiaoping and then chairman of the Chinese People's Politi ...
were assigned) were shattered by Muslim cavalry in a battle that might have turned out differently had
Mao Zedong Mao Zedong pronounced ; traditionally Romanization of Chinese, romanised as Mao Tse-tung. (26December 18939September 1976) was a Chinese politician, revolutionary, and political theorist who founded the People's Republic of China (PRC) in ...
not abandon Fourth Front Army commander Zhang Guotao. One story has Qin and future general secretary
Hu Yaobang Hu Yaobang (20 November 1915 – 15 April 1989) was a Chinese politician who was a high-ranking official of the People's Republic of China. He held the Leader of the Chinese Communist Party, top office of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from ...
captured in the battle and held prisoner for a year or so before finding an opportunity to escape. In 1939, Qin was commander of the 1st Military Sub-District of the Jinjiyu Military Region and at the end of the Sino-Japanese War, Chief-of-Staff of the Taihang Military District. His units were organized into the 9th Column in 1947, and later combined with Chen Geng's 4th Column into the 4th Army of the 2nd Field Army (二野), this Army’s leader is
Deng Xiaoping Deng Xiaoping also Romanization of Chinese, romanised as Teng Hsiao-p'ing; born Xiansheng (). (22 August 190419 February 1997) was a Chinese statesman, revolutionary, and political theorist who served as the paramount leader of the People's R ...
. In 1949, Qin commanded the 4th Army’s 15th Corps.


Battle of Triangle Hill

Qin Jiwei gained fame during the
Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
by commanding the 15th Corps at the Battle of Triangle Hill, which is regarded by the Chinese as one of the decisive engagements of the war.


Domestic assignments

In the 1954 reorganization that established 13 Military Regions, Xie Fuzhi was given command of the Kunming MR and Qin was made deputy commander. He was awarded the rank of Lt. General in 1955 and eventually, he became a member of the National Defense Council (1965-75), and commander of the Kunming Military Region (1960-67) and Sichuan Military Region (1973-76). In 1975, he was named political commissar of the Beijing MR, and in 1980-87 was its commander. It was in this role that he commanded the September 1981 field
military parade A military parade is a formation of military personnels whose movement is restricted by close-order manoeuvering known as Drill team, drilling or marching. Large military parades are today held on major holidays and military events around the ...
in the
Hebei Province Hebei is a Provinces of China, province in North China. It is China's List of Chinese administrative divisions by population, sixth-most populous province, with a population of over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. It bor ...
and the 1984 National Day parade commemorating the 35th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. In the latter post, Qin took over from two of the so-called 'Small Gang of Four', commander Chen Xilian and political commissar Ji Dengkui. Qin was a member of the 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th Central Committees. In 1977, he was named to the party Military Affairs Committee and a decade later, as one of only two military officers named to the politburo (the other was
Yang Shangkun Yang Shangkun (3 August 1907 – 14 September 1998) was a Chinese Chinese Communist Party, Communist military and political leader, president of the People's Republic of China from 1988 to 1993, and one of the Eight Elders that dominated the par ...
). In September 1988, Qin was promoted to full general and made Defense Minister, until 1990.


Spring 1989

In May 1989, Qin was reported to be reluctant to use force against protesters in Tiananmen Square in
Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...
. On 17 May 1989, Qin, as Defense Minister and politburo member, attended a meeting at the home of paramount leader
Deng Xiaoping Deng Xiaoping also Romanization of Chinese, romanised as Teng Hsiao-p'ing; born Xiansheng (). (22 August 190419 February 1997) was a Chinese statesman, revolutionary, and political theorist who served as the paramount leader of the People's R ...
, and was directed to impose martial law on the demonstrators in
Tiananmen Square Tiananmen Square or Tian'anmen Square () is a city square in the city center of Beijing, China, named after the Tiananmen ("''Gate of Heavenly Peace''") located to its north, which separates it from the Forbidden City. The square contains th ...
. Qin declined to do so immediately, citing the need to receive party approval. Deng was the chairman of the party's Central Military Commission, but Zhao Ziyang, as general party secretary, was nominally head of the
party A party is a gathering of people who have been invited by a Hospitality, host for the purposes of socializing, conversation, recreation, or as part of a festival or other commemoration or celebration of a special occasion. A party will oft ...
. After the meeting, Qin called Zhao's office, hoping that Zhao would call off the martial law order. He waited four hours until early morning on 18 May, for Zhao's reply, which never came. Qin later publicly supported the military crackdown but was stripped of the defense minister position the following year. At his death in February 1997, his only official post was Vice Chairman of the
National People's Congress The National People's Congress (NPC) is the highest organ of state power of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The NPC is the only branch of government in China, and per the principle of unified power, all state organs from the Sta ...
.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Qin, Jiwei 1914 births 1997 deaths Ministers of national defense of the People's Republic of China People's Liberation Army generals from Hubei Politicians from Huanggang Chinese Communist Party politicians from Hubei People's Republic of China politicians from Hubei Political commissars of the Beijing Military Region Deputy commanders of the Yunnan Military District Commanders of the Beijing Military Region Commanders of the Chengdu Military Region Commanders of the Kunming Military Region Members of the 13th Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party State councillors of China Vice chairpersons of the National People's Congress Burials at Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery Members of the 10th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Members of the 11th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Members of the 12th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party Members of the 13th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party